Ronald Reagan: 15 Odd Facts You Didn’t Know (Part 1)

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Ronald Reagan was an interesting president, to say the least, and we finally have the scoop on all of the juicy and odd facts about this man! Love him or hate him, there is always room to learn more about the men who made this country what it is today! Stay tuned for our part two article, coming soon to reveal the top eight odd facts that you didn’t know about Ronald Reagan!

Number Fifteen: Ronald Reagan – the FBI Informer

During the days of the Hollywood Red Scare, Reagan actively partook in the politics of the film industry. One to be at the forefront of progress, he held the title of chairman within the Screen Actors Guild. In 1947, he was a sort of snitch for the FBI and transferred the names of possible leads for Communist members or sympathizers. Since this cooperation, the FBI took an interest in Reagan’s career and personal safety. They even went so far as to warn Reagan that his son had accidentally befriended a dangerous mafia boss.

Number Fourteen: A Strange Love Interest

When Shirley Temple was attempting to recreate her career as an adult actress, she worked on a movie with Reagan in which the two had to do an on-screen kiss. Unfortunately, the movie wasn’t very successful, but 19-year-old little Shirley claimed that the 36-year-old Reagan was one of the best on-screen kissers that she had ever experienced.

Number Thirteen: A Former Democrat

Despite his primarily Republican stances, the former president didn’t always belong to this party. Until 1962, he had always given his votes to the Democrat party. This was mainly due to the benefit he saw from Roosevelt’s New Deal but changed his view as he began to see that Republicans were more serious about the Communist issues.

Number Twelve: The Mean Side

Throughout his acting career, Reagan was always cast as the good guy. He began to tire of this role and decided to try his hand as a cruel villain. The movie The Killers was released in 1964, featuring the actor as a fierce gang boss. The film was so intense that Reagan was seen slapping a woman, which television deemed unfit for family viewing. Either coincidence or backlash, this movie was the last that Reagan ever starred in.

Number Eleven: He Never Gave Up

Although many of us would like to believe it was simple for Reagan to gain presidency, it actually took multiple tries. The third time proved to be the charm in his case because he finally dominated the election over Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Number Ten: The Oldest President

He may have been a spunky personality in the White House, but he was also the oldest man ever to take the title of President of the United States. During his first year in this position, he celebrated his 70th birthday. This beat the record for the previous oldest president, Harrison, who was 68 when he entered office.

Number Nine: The Tax Game

Ronald Reagan is known for a wide array of the actions he took while in office, but the most notable effects of his presidency were on taxes. This president holds the title of not only the biggest tax-cutter in American history but also the title of biggest peacetime tax-increaser. He tried to stick up for the working man, however, he was forced to legislation in retrospect of the increasing deficit. Stay tuned for our part two article, coming soon to reveal the top eight odd facts that you didn’t know about Ronald Reagan!